India is the second most populous nation in the world with a total population being a little over 1.3 billion1. About 13.7% of the population, a figure close to 150 million Indians are in need of mental health services2. Given this number, it has been estimated that one in five Indians will experience a mental health condition by the year 20203
Mental disorders have been found to contribute to high levels of disability in India. The prevalence of disorders such as schizophrenia, mood, and neurotic disorders has not only increased but is found to be two to three times higher in urban metros. Substance abuse disorders, especially tobacco use and alcohol abuse are highly prevalent and are increasing the economic and psychological burden on families and our society 2.
Considering these figures, mental health treatment in India has its fair share of challenges. In fact, despite various efforts at the national level, currently, a significant deficit in the treatment of mental health disorders exists in India. Almost all mental disorders, except epilepsy, are met with a treatment gap of more than 60%2. This deficit is likely due to various factors such as the stigma attached to seeking mental health services, difficulty in accessing appropriate care in rural areas, and the economic feasibility of accessing services.
A major role in the treatment gap is played by the paucity of mental health professionals presently working in India5. According to a recent survey, almost all states in India are facing issues related to the availability of mental health professionals. Ideally, the availability of 1 psychiatrist per lakh of the population is the required standard to achieve optimum levels of treatment2. However, due to the significantly low number of trained psychiatrists, there is a deficit in proper treatment services for the majority of the population. For instance, states such as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have less than 0.2 psychiatrists per lakh available currently5. While the state of Punjab and West Bengal has approximately 0.6 psychiatrists per lakh5.
These low numbers of professionals, leave the fabric of mental health treatment riddled with increased demand issues. Numerous concerns have been found to be associated with this trend. These include issues in graduate training curriculums for psychiatrists and stigma associated with psychiatry as a discipline, to mention a few3.
Other professionals such as clinical psychologists and psychiatric social workers are also lacking significantly in India. The number of clinical psychologists available is significantly low in most states. Statistics indicate that only 0.13 clinical psychologists per lakh are available in states such as Meghalaya, and as low as 0.04 in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu5. The number of psychiatric social workers and psychiatric nurses is not encouraging either. Additional challenges are posed by the fact that most of the mental health professionals available are based in urban areas. Thus, the provision of mental health facilities in rural areas has become even more difficult.
Various national-level policies and plans are aiming to meet this deficit and provide hope for better provisions in the near future. However, effective and timely utilization of available resources is urgently required based on recommendations made by various national survey reports2,5.